The gaping inequalities between people based on race, income, educational attainment and even ZIP code have been brought into sharp focus during the pandemic.
This week, the hazards of being born black have been demonstrated more shockingly than ever, as George Floyd’s cries for breath force a collective gasp from us all. We are deeply troubled by the riots that have ensued across the country since then. However, if we are surprised, it is because we wanted to assume that if things are okay for us, they are okay for everyone.
Again we see all too clearly that’s not the case. This realization is almost overwhelming.
New Hampshire is not the racially diverse place that many states are, but we have our full share of inequalities and injustices, and they tend to fall along the same lines they fall on in the rest of the country. The good news is that we have opportunities here to make a difference. I would contend that the way to make a dent in this mess is to listen, to reach out and to work cooperatively in grassroots organizations going about the job of leveling the playing field.
There are many national organizations engaged in this good work, but we also have local ones right here in our backyard that have vision, determination and commitment to strive for equality one step, and one person, at a time. There are many, but I’d like to highlight three I feel I know well, ones I’m coming to know better as they step up to the plate during these trying times.
Perhaps no problem exemplifies inequality more than homelessness. We would rather look away than look at the person on the street corner with the sign. But Ellen Groh of the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness says that if we join together, we can literally stamp out chronic homelessness in our community. The Homeless Resource Center and winter shelter are a start. More importantly, finding supported, affordable units for chronically homeless individuals needs to happen.
In a city our size, this is not only doable, but it is actually beginning to happen. With the efforts of dedicated staff, volunteers, and donors, this campaign is in process as we speak. We can all help with this, listening, reaching out and taking small steps together.
It’s no secret that inequality starts long before adulthood. We can all support the children among us who need special advocates and attention, even during the pandemic. One of the organizations serving this tremendous need is the Friends Program, which started its youth mentoring program right here in Merrimack County more than 40 years ago. Over the past dozen years or so I have been a mentor, one at a time, to three young girls who are in the process of becoming remarkable young women. All of them have had challenges in their lives far greater than the average; all are overcoming obstacles few of us ever had to face. In the Friends Program, I can see directly that small steps made by many individuals under the auspices of an organization can and will make a difference in the lives of many.
My current mentee and I are finding virtual communication during the pandemic challenging. Staying in touch virtually is like a lifeline between us nonetheless. I am privileged to see, up close and personal, what struggles she faces, but also what an impact my consistent presence in her life can make for her. But it’s not a one-way street. The fact that she is a consistent presence in my life changes my perspective, and I truly feel that this is for the better. Importantly, my mentee helps me see that there is enormous potential in everyone, not just those born under the “right” stars.
Finally, we need strong, unstoppable grassroots organizations within our state to hold our elected officials accountable, to level the playing field for young and old alike, to speak truth to power, and to shine a light on inequality in all its forms. In our city the Kent Street Coalition has become an increasingly important voice of the people.
As the current occupant of the White House threatens to use deadly force to quell riots and suppress rightful speech, Kent Street’s members speak out boldly when they see a government gone awry. They organize for equal opportunity and equal treatment under the law, and for justice for all, not just for the privileged. The see a problem, they call it out, and they work together effect change, one vote at a time.
I don’t delude myself that we will solve these enormous problems in our lifetimes. But by working together within organizations like these, we can make the turf of the field better for all to play on.
(Millie LaFontaine of Concord is a retired neurologist.)